Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are so good! Really! And let's face it, there's just nothing better than a really good chocolate chip cookie.

I could just stop there, give you the recipe and tell you to make them right now...but I have to give the credit to someone and that someone is, again, this book. It's the chocolate chip cookie from Bennigan's Restaurant for their Cookie Mountain Sundae, which is described as a cookie sandwich with four scoops of vanilla ice cream, hot fudge topping and powdered sugar! Yikes...a little excessive, right? Do you think that's supposed to be for one person?

Well I needed to dial it back and just make the cookies. The recipe makes large cookies for large Cookie Mountain Sundaes but you could make them any size you choose. I got 18 four inch cookies which weighed about 1.5 ounces each. They're chewy with a wonderful crunch and loaded with chocolate chips, which is, of course, what you want out of a great chocolate chip cookie. Tons of chips in every bite and not too sweet.

Now there are two ways you can make these. I made some following the instructions to flatten each one to about 1/2" thickness, which is probably better for an ice cream sandwich. Then I made some without flattening and I liked these better. The ones you see here are those. So, your choice, thin or not. Either way these are really good cookies!

The recipe is pretty simple and straightforward.

Cream the butter and sugars. Once that's all combined add the egg and vanilla and beat another minute or two.

Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl...

Add the dry to the creamed mixture mixing til it's all combined, then add in the chocolate chips.

If you want them a little fatter, scoop them into balls and leave them like this.

If you want them a bit thinner, flatten each ball to about 1/2" thickness.

See the difference? The one on the left is the flat one. I myself love to see more crackle, which is what you get with the fatter one. Somebody pour the milk!

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Bennigan's Cookie Mountain Sundae from "Top Secret Restaurant Recipes" by Todd Wilbur)

Makes 18 large 4"cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/4 cups AP flour

1/2 tsp. salt ( I cut down to 1/4 tsp.)

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)

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Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

1. Cream the butter and sugars til light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add the egg and vanilla and continue to beat til well blended, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

3. Combine the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl. Add to the creamed mixture and mix well.

4. Add the chocolate chips and mix well.

5. Scoop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough ( weighing approx. 1.5 ozs. each) onto your baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (Flatten each cookie to 1/2" thickness only if you want a thinner cookie.)

6. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or til the edges become light brown.

7. Transfer the cookies, still on the parchment paper, to a wire rack to cool.